UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 31 (UPI) -- The United Nations Security Council has adopted sanctions against the Democratic Republic of Congo targeting illegal poaching and wildlife trade.
The conservation group World Wildlife Fund noted in a statement Friday the U.N. sanctions, separate from an arms embargo pertaining to hostilities in the country, are designed to protect more than 20,000 elephants killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo and another country in internal military conflict, Central African Republic, for their ivory tusks.
The U.N. resolution targets individuals and entities illegally supporting armed groups through the illicit trade of natural resources, including elephant ivory.
"Individuals involved in poaching and trafficking of wildlife are now singled out for sanctions where the proceeds of their activities have been used to finance conflict," said Wendy Elliott of the World Wildlife Fund.
